Premier promises Music Fest return for 2023
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has announced the re-emergence of the BVI Music Festival which he said is expected to make a comeback next year.
A one-time behemoth on the BVI’s entertainment calendar, the festival hasn’t made an appearance for nearly a decade in the territory, with the last edition being hosted in 2013 at Cane Garden Bay.
The festival’s return next year will be an attempt in helping to bolster the territory’s efforts in the area of entertainment tourism, Premier Wheatley shared during his budget speech yesterday.
He said this is expected to improve the experience of the territory’s visitors while attracting new ones.
In the meantime, Premier Wheatley said the territory will continue to diversify its tourism product through culture, conventions and sports; announcing that the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) has been tasked with drawing up plans for multiple cultural and educational initiatives.
“The RDA has been tasked with designing a national cultural museum, a national library, a national archives and national art gallery, and a national performing arts centre,” the Premier said.
According to Dr Wheatley, these designs will be completed in 2023 and the institutions are expected to play a vital role in educating and enriching the resident and visitor population through an examination of the heritage and culture of the Virgin Islands people.
He also encouraged Virgin Islanders to invest in villas, as well as small and medium-sized hotels, and consider renting their existing properties as AirBnB’s.
“Greater visitor numbers will present opportunities to share in the tourism pie,” the Premier said.
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We need strong leadership. Not people who don’t know what they are doing. We certainly do not need a puppet government. Mark said it right, you all are puppets. Puppets who accepted all the COI recommendations without even examining them properly and now we can’t even feed our own people. We cannot even get the bushes cut. You are touting tourism and the whole place looks like a dump. The roads are deplorable, garbage everywhere, the bushes have become weapons. It’s just disgusting.
Don’t waste dollars on projects that waste money lining a few pockets. Brush cutting? Road repairs? Attempt to reduce the stench and flow of raw sewage? MusicFest was a joke. Stand outside the fences and hear it for free. Inconvenience a whole community for the benefit of a few.
Music while the BVI burns??????
He will say and do anything to get re-elected
Every budget cycle is the same set ah old talk
Mr Premier the monies they going pay these Artists can go a long way in the structural and improvement of the Educational System. Also, the need of a Public Library is very essential. It’s time to FOCUS on the benefical ambience of the Territory’s Future.
Ayo stop bashing the Premier for everything man!! You all know we need the music fest. You all will be the first down the Bay enjoying yourselves. Come on!! Lighten up!! Let the music begin and let people enjoy themselves. If you all want to stay home with your head stocking on and bed slippers …then so be it…
I am not in support of the Music Fest. It is not priority at this time Premier.
We have bigger problems to deal with and elections is around the corner.
Let Rodni focus on initiatives marketing projects other than putting on concerts to full the international artists pocket.
He can do much better than that as Deputy Director. Or is this his keep quiet project for not becoming Director???? Asking for a friend. Cindy where you deh???!!!
Do you think the music festival is all cost with no benefit? If pulled off well, the intention is to MAKE money for the territory through tourism, which benefits all of us. It’s called business; maybe you’re familiar with the concept.
I think it should be brought back but among other things, we have major issues which are ACCESS to and from the BVI, along with ACCOMMODATION. Until we get these sorted we can only dream of hosting anything of substance in the BVI. Let’s say we have Music Fest next year, we have 500-1000 people wanting to attend from overseas, how do they get here and where do they stay? If one of the churches wants to hold a major conference? If FSC or BVI Finance wants to host a conference? It just cannot happen logistically so let’s stop dreaming and start addressing the root problems.
The Music Fest was quickly going down hill since the greedy put out Mahoney from his own initiative and took it to the grave yard. It was gross. When Mahoney was running things, everybody had fun and everybody made money. But Mr. Bowtie and his friends got jealous and let their covetous, greedy spirit shine through. It was not at all the same.
Jokey, in fact. BVIslanders hate to see each other doing well.
Music fest, a library, and museum. Where’s the money coming from and more interestingly, whose pockets will it line?